uchibidolo: the abundant herds a descriptive study of the sanga-nguni cattle of the zulu people with

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UCHIBIDOLO: THE ABUNDANT HERDS
A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY OF THE SANGA-NGUNI CATTLE
OF THE ZULU PEOPLE
WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO COLOUR-PATTERN
TERMINOLOGY AND NAMING-PRACTICE.
by
MARGUERITE POLAND OOSTHUIZEN
Submitted in fulfIlment of the requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy.
Department of Zulu, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg
and
Centre for Oral Studies, University of Natal, Durban
December 1996.
THIS DISSERTATION IS DEDICATED
WITH LOVE AND RESPECT TO
BERT SCHROEDER
WHOSE DEVOTION TO THE STUDY
OF THE SANGA-NGUNI CATTLE
OF THE ZULU PEOPLE
HAS BEEN A SOURCE OF CONSTANT INSPIRATION
, ••• the .ysterious word of aankind,
that frail yet wonderful echo of
the eternal Creative Word.'
[Marcel Jousse, 1990: 229.]
ABSTRACT
Sanga-Nguni cattle have been present in Southern Africa for
more than seven hundred years. They are the cattle traditionally
owned by the Zulu people and have always been of great cultural
and economic significance. They are distinguished by their
hardiness and adaptability and are characterised by the great
variety of their colours and patterns. This dissertation is a
study of Sanga-Nguni cattle with special reference to colour
pattern terminology and naming-practice in Zulu.
More than three hundred terms in Zulu denote colour-pattern,
horn-shape and type of beast. There are also a great number of
terms for animals used for ritual purposes, especially those
connected with the practice of ukul obo1 a , in which cattle are
exchanged during marriage negotiations. Many of these names,
particularly those which refer to colour-pattern, are richly
metaphorical, using imagery and analogy which connect the cattle
with the birds, animals and plants that share their environment.
Both archival and field sources have been employed to
document as many of these names as possible and to classify them
according to cultural significance, type, colour-pattern
configuration and metaphorical content.
Cattle names cannot be appreciated in isolation and in
order to understand the complexity of the Zulu terminology, the
significance of cattle in the cultural and economic life of the
Zulu people as well as their biology and history has also been
described.
\ Cattle lore concerning beliefs about cattle and
I
perceptions of them in the cosmology of the Zulu people are
recorded. The role of cattle in the oral tradition and cattle
imagery in proverbs, poetry and tales as well as the praises of
cattle themselves, have been explored in overview and provide
insight into how the Zulu people perceive their herds.
The dissertation is divided into four sections:
i) Research setting
ii) Pastoralism in Zulu society
iii) Colour-pattern terminology and related naming-practice
iv) perceptions of cattle and the role of cattle in the
oral tradition.
Although this is a primarily a language study, the subject
of which is the documenting and analysis of the vast range of
cattle terms found in Zulu, it is also a study of the role of
cattle in Zulu society and their significance in the thought
patterns of the people who own them and with whom they have lived
in such close contact for so many centuries.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Source:
The subject of this dissertation, Sanga-Nguni cattle, would never
have been discovered without the unexpected and fortuitous visit
of Mr Bert Schroeder in early 1994, during which he showed me his
Nguni Cattle Register. All other work was laid aside.
This dissertation is dedicated to him in recognition of his
endeavours in the field of colour-pattern terminology and all
matters relating to Sanga-Nguni cattle. My thanks and deep regard
can never be adequately expressed: he gave me my subject, he
initiated me into the delights and wonders of Sanga-Nguni cattle
and he helped me with kindness, enthusiasm and a vast store of
knowledge. Nor could such gifts been given more generously or
warmly. He is a much-loved friend and mentor.
Also with immense generosity, Roger de la Harpe has allowed me
to illustrate my dissertation with his superb set of photographs.
Without his help I should have been daunted at the start. Robert
Papini of the Local History Museum has also, most generously,
contributed to the illustration. Their kindness obviated hours
of frustration due to lack of expertise. My debt to them is
enormous.
Among those who contributed to the source were the herdsmen and
cattle owners who not only gave their time to Schroeder and de
la Harpe but to me as well:
Mr M.E. Mngomezulu of the Kwazulu Veterinary Department,
the Director and staff of the Bartlow Combine and especially
Messers M. Nyawo and M. Machafaza for sharing their boundless '
store of knowledge.
Thanks are due to Mr Martin Uys and Mr E. Simelane of the KwaZulu
Department of Agriculture. Mr Simelane shared his wisdom in all
things related to sanga-Nguni cattle and was willing to answer
endless questions.
The herdsmen of the farm of Mr Heinz Schutte, Hluhluwe, the
herdsmen of the farm of Mrs shirley Vorster, Mkhuze, and the
herdsmen at the farm of His Majesty King Goodwill Zwelithini, at
IPhiva, gave invaluable insights into naming-practice.
Mr Petros Mkhize helped with identifying colour-patterns and Mrs
T.C. Mkhize, over so many years, has given friendship, support
and kindness. I thank her for always knowing the right turn of
phrase and for the daily support and care.
I thank Messers E. Ngcobo and P. Ngubane of the Killie Campbell
Library for being so ready with help in emergencies with naming
and Mr T. Nompozolo of East London for supplying some Xhosa names
for comparative purposes. All these people are the custodians of
the tradition and have shared their knowledge with great
generosity and patience.
The Farmers:
Especial thanks are due to Heinz Schutte and Shirley Vorster who
were so hospitable and encouraging. They welcomed me to their
farms and shared their knowledge of and love for their Nguni
herds and gave me my first real experience of Nguni cattle.
Mr victor Biggs of Kei Road was a source of information and
encouragement that was greatly appreciated. He sent names which
were invaluable for comparative purposes and his ongoing interest
is acknowledged with thanks.
Mr and Mrs Ted Reilly welcomed Leigh Voigt, artist and fellow
worker, most warmly to their estate and were a source of
invaluable information: may their herds prosper.
My Teachers:
Thanks are due to Professor A.S. Davey, Zulu Department,
University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, who first taught me to
appreciate the beauty of the African languages as an
undergraduate many years ago. He gave an enormous amount of time
and theoretical and technical advice throughout this project. But
for his much-valued friendship, I thank him most of all.
Thanks are due to my supervisor Professor Adrian Koopman for
overseeing this project and for his encouragement and to the
other members of the Zulu Department, University of Natal,
Pietermari tzburg, especially Ursula Abrahams, for their
friendship and help. Very special thanks are also due to Mr M.
Hlengwa, Head of Department, for his advice on naming-practice
and for suggesting the title of the thesis. His help has been
invaluable and greatly appreciated.
Professor Edgard Sienaert of the Centre for Oral studies,
University of Natal, Durban, was co-supervisor. I thank him for
his support and advice on all matters theoretical. He was
unstinting with his time and concern and is a most generous
teacher. His cheerful 'Bon Courage' was more encouraging than he
can know.
Grateful thanks are due to Professor N. N. Canonici for his advice
and help, to Professor J. Argyle for his enthusiastic reception
of the project and his much-valued interest and Mr S. Bourquin
for sharing his knowledge of the Zulu people.
When direction was lost and wise counsel needed, Professor W.D.
Hammond-Tooke, saved me from wandering along dangerous paths. I
thank him for his encouragement - as always - with the greatest
affection and respect.
The Scientists:
This literary project could not have proceeded without the help
of the scientists and experts in the field of Sanga-Nguni cattle
breeding and those versed in the mysteries of computers.
I wish to thank Dr Max Bachmann of the State Veterinary
Department for sharing his vast knowledge of Sanga-Nguni cattle;
Dr J.A.B. Hundleby of Stutterheim for his interest and support;
Dr Udo Kuzel for providing much-needed information in the early
stages of the project; Pieter Jolly for sharing his expertise on
domestic animals in Rock Art; Gordon Holshausen for help with
much-needed photographs and David Allen of the Natural History
Museum, Durban, for generously supplying pictures of birds and
other related material. I would also like to thank Mr Barry
Marshall of the Ulundi Museum for assistance in making contacts
in Northern KwaZulu-Natal; computer expert, Lesley Mason for help
with technical matters related to my Word Processor and for being
such a long-standing, supportive and undemanding friend; Alistair
Nixon of the Audiovisual Department at the University of Natal,
Pietermaritzburg, for technical advice; Katherine Kane of the
Centre for Oral Studies for generously printing out chapters and
Mr Mahabir and staff of the University Library, Pietermaritzburg
for the final copying and binding, done with expertise and care.
Library
Killie Campbell Africana Library became a haven. The skill,
efficiency and friendship of the staff is deeply appreciated and
the interest they took in the project is gratifying. Penny Brown
and Marty Cheek had a nose for cattle sources and pursued them
with more dedication than I. Bobby Eldridge, Stacie Gibson, Joan
Simpson and Brian Reynolds always gave warm and enthusiastic
assistance. Bobby Eldridge helped with the preparation of the
bibliography which is most gratefully acknowledged. To All
members of the Killie Campbell staff - your friendship over the
years is much-valued.
In Grahamstown, I would like to thank Ms Penny Silva of the
Dictionary Unit at Rhodes University for information suppiied,
Professor Guy Butler for ongoing support and interest and for
knowledge so generously shared and Dr Jean Branford for her
encouragement to see it through.
Friends
All my friends have been a source of good-humour: I thank each
of them with love for their support, for understanding my
permanent absence and mostly for the astonishing resources of
patience they display! Some have enthusiastically embraced my
passion for Sanga-Ngunis. Susie Dwyer is the proud owner of a
herd of proliferating calves and I warmly thank her for sharing
her Ngunis with me and for the many good times on fieldtrips.
Betsy Kee, biologist, also supported fieldtrips enthusiastically
and her real interest in the project has been a source of
encouragement and friendship. Annie Nicolson has translated
Sanga-Nguni patterns into magnificent pottery and Howard Balcomb
generously shared his extensive knowledge and archival material.
The warmest thanks to my friend Elizabeth Compton for undertaking
the daunting task of proof-reading with such commitment and care
under pressure.
A great debt is due to my colleague, friend and cousin, Leigh
Voigt, who has interpreted Nguni colour-patterns into paintings
of extraordinary beauty and which will be part of an on-going
project on which I am proud to work with her. For her figures,
so beautifully and expertly executed for this dissertation, my
special love and thanks.
with her usual quiet intuition, Brenda Richardson has picked up
the pieces of the frazzled researcher and offered expertise, help
and a sense of humour at crucial moments. I thank her for
overseeing the lay-out and for the photographs of birds and eggs,
for making so many expeditions when time was running short and
for being there, so generously, to the end and beyond: a debt of
gratitude and love which I cannot repay.
Everyone needs encouragement from someone who has 'been there'.
To my friend, Professor Dave Woods, for the constant support and
wisdom, my love and thanks. And to our beloved friend, the late
Dr Sue Ross, whose astonishing example made retreat unthinkable.
My Family
My thanks to my mother, Hope Poland Boxer, my sister, Nicki
Hamilton and my family who have every reason to have the deepest
antipathy for Sanga-Nguni cattle. To my daughters, Susie and
Verlie, my tribute for giving up the time I might have spent with
them for 'the abundant herds.'
I have the very good fortune to be married to Martin Oosthuizen,
whose boundless generosity in bestowing time, common sense, good
humour, mind and spirit and the most generously given resources
make all endeavours an adventure and all projects possible. To
him - as always - the greatest debt of love and thanks of all.